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Montgomery County (2022) Print
2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Community Gardens
└ Community Gardens
Rapid growth and shrinking lot sizes left many residents without space or knowledge to grow food, while obesity and inactivity rates underscored the need for healthy, social activities. The county converted a 7,500-square-foot plot into an ADA-accessible community garden with raised beds, tools and a shed. It hosted volunteer events in the new space to teach planting and food preparation. The garden now serves as an educational hub where families and older adults learn sustainable gardening and share meals. Partnerships with schools and master gardeners will sustain events and programs. "This project has shown me the energy and will of the community," said one organizer, reflecting its role in reducing isolation and fostering connection.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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Laramie, WY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Older adults in Laramie lacked accessible spaces for gardening and social connection. Age-Friendly Laramie transformed unused property at the Eppson Center into a welcoming garden with raised beds, a wheelchair-accessible picnic table and a storage shed. Volunteers added a colorful mural and helped plant, water and harvest herbs and vegetables for meals at the center. The garden now offers fresh produce and a safe place to gather, with plans for pathways and expanded beds. One longtime resident said gardening again "brought back memories" and gave him a sense of purpose.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Hartford, CT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: KNOX rebuilt and upgraded the Hartford's Broad Street Community Garden to allow people of all ages and abilities to easily garden there. They added 22 raised garden beds, making plots more accessible to children, people with disabilities and older residents. Additionally, the organization hired a contractor to repair a garden fence and purchased a picnic table and a pergola -- a structure to create shade for gardeners. Since then, KNOX continues to create gardening opportunities for Hartford residents. The Hartford Courant reported in 2021 that KNOX manages 20 community gardens with a cumulative five acres of space. These include nearly 660 plots, each with an average size of 12 square feet.
Birmingham, AL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: This project expanded community garden facilities by renovating an existing trailer to provide restrooms, an office and a classroom/meeting space. The upgrades provide indoor space where Bush Hills Connections can host gardening classes. The garden also received new pet waste stations and hand and equipment sanitation stations. The garden -- once an abandoned school property -- is located within a food desert and provides fresh produce to 200 families. Additionally, it is a popular meeting place, particularly with older adults.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Clarksville, TN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Improved wayfinding
Description: To encourage people to park their vehicles and travel on foot, the City of Clarksville installed signs near underutilized parking lots, which display directions and walking times to destinations around downtown. The hope was that knowing the time commitment for walks would give pedestrians confidence they could manage city distances comfortably. At its Shop Small Saturday event in 2020, the City set up a booth to talk with passersby about the signs. Project organizers reported shoppers were surprised to learn how short walks were from destination to destination. The signage is part of a larger effort to promote active transportation -- such as walking and biking -- in Clarksville.
Springfield, TN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Developing projects based on residents' priorities
Description: Rural residents, including older adults, faced barriers to library access and social engagement, leaving many isolated. To address this, the district launched the "Reading Across Robertson" Book Bus, retrofitted with shelves, seating and Wi-Fi, and stocked with books for all ages. Since its launch, the bus has hosted 16 programs, welcomed 2,000 visitors and given away hundreds of books. Older adults now enjoy story times and technology help, while volunteers foster intergenerational connections. One volunteer said, "Seeing the kids' eyes light up when they find a book they love-it's priceless."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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